HORTENSE, Ga. — Mandatory evacuations in Brantley County are forcing dozens of families from their homes — and now, even some shelters may soon be forced to close.
At Little Memorial Baptist Church in Hortense, community members have been arriving and leaving throughout the day, creating a constant flow of people seeking safety.
Inside, families clutch bags of belongings. Some carry children. Others sit beside pets in cages. Volunteers work in the kitchen, preparing meals to help those displaced.
“It is what it is. Just do what you can,” one resident said.
Pastor Keith Brown said the church opened its doors to anyone in need.
“We just told them that the church is open for anybody — food, bathrooms, air conditioning,” Brown said. “We just opened our church up to anybody and everybody.”
Brown became emotional, describing what families are facing.
“The people have lost everything. I can’t imagine what they’re going through right now,” he said.
But by late afternoon, Brown said county officials told him the church could no longer continue operating as a shelter because it sits near areas already under mandatory evacuation orders.
He said the church itself could be next to evacuate.
Emergency alerts sounded repeatedly throughout the afternoon, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
“It’s been tough. We’ve been preparing. I think everybody in the community has,” another resident said.
Brown said the possibility of turning people away — many of whom have already evacuated once — is difficult.
“This is the church. It should be helping everybody,” he said.
As the wildfire continues to threaten the area, families who found temporary refuge may soon be forced to move once again.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]